Envelopes



y 1963 w. P. VSWARTZ, JR

ENVELOPES Filed July 20, 1961 I 5 am ATTORNEYS tinned States Patent 3,088,653 ENVELOPES William P. Swartz, Jr., P.0. Box 22, Roanoke, Va. Filed July 20, 1961, Ser. No. 125,509 9 Claims. (Cl. 229-68) This invention relates generally to envelopes and blanks for forming envelopes.

More particularly, this invention relates to an envelope and a blank for making the envelope which will cooperate with the modern type of loading machines in an assembly line fashion, to permit the rapid opening of the envelope for insertion of various articles in the interior of the envelope.

In the course of many business operations there is the requirement for insertingadvertising literature and circulars within an envelope to be used for mailing to customers and potential customers of the particular business. There is a need of long standing, for an envelope to hold the various circulars and advertising media which can be stufied or inserted into the envelope quickly and easily by the new type loading machines which have fingers which slide toward the throat of the envelope for the purpose of opening the throat of the envelope to receive various pamphlets and circulars. Since speed is one of the absolute requirements in an envelope stufiing procedure, it has been found that the previously known envelopes did not permit the rapid opening of the throat of the envelope by the insertion of the usual fingers, and as a matter of fact, very often the envelope would not be opened to any degree, for the reason that the fingers of the loading machine would either pass over the rear sheet which forms a part of the throat of the envelope, or would engage the edge of the rear sheet at the throat to crush or otherwise disfigure the edge of the rear sheet, or else push the entire envelope out of position, such that the pamphlets and circulars could not possibly be inserted into the throat.

Further, it is important that the throat when open has a substantially flattened oval opening, that is, when the fingers are inserted into the throat the rear sheet should not buckle to form a high peak at the center of the throat, because by forming such a peak the outer edges of the throat will be diminished to the extent that very little material can be inserted into the throat opening. Moreover, the loading of the ideally constructed envelope must be followed by a satisfactory closure which is easily openable.

Consequently, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an envelope which may be easily opened at the throat by the fingers of modern loading machines to facilitate the insertion of circulars, advertising media, and the like into the envelope.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means on the envelope at the throat which will direct the fingers of the loading machine into the throat of the envelope, to permit the opening of the throat.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means on the envelope which will prevent the buckling or distortion of the throat opening of the envelope, such as will prevent the insertion into the throat of a plurality of pamphlets having substantially the width of the throat when in the closed position.

It is a further and more particular object of the present invention to provide an abutment means at the throat opening of the envelope which is designed to cam the rear sheet of the envelope upwardly to direct the fingers of the loading machine into the throat opening.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for closing the envelope in such a manner that it can be readily re-opened.

This invention also has for an object the provision of a blank shaped and formed in such a manner that it can be assembled into an envelope which will permit the easy and rapid loading of material into the envelope.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the blank which is utilized to form the envelope according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the rear of the envelope in set up or assembled form;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showing in addition a finger of a conventional loading machine moving towards the throat open- 8;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the carnming action of the abutment means on the rear sheet of the envelope as the finger of the leading machine moves into the throat of the envelope;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the envelope after the envelope is closed by the securing means provided through the outside of the envelope;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the score lines in relation to the abutting panel and the end panel more clearly.

Briefly, the present invention provides for an envelope and a blank forming the envelope, which includes an abutment panel that is connected to the rear panel adjacent the throat of the envelope, such that the fingers of the loading machine, when in contact with the back of the front sheet and moving towards the throat, will cam the rear sheet upwardly to provide the necessary opening of the throat for the insertion of pamphlets and circulars into the envelope.

Additionally, the present invention provides an end panel which is hingedly secured to the abutment panel, thus permitting the envelope to be more securely closed as well as to aid in preventing the peaking of the rear sheet along its center in such a manner that would limit the opening of the throat of the envelope and impede the insertion of material into the envelope having substantially the same size as the throat when in an at rest position.

The envelope ltl, according to the present invention, is shown in blank form in FIGURE 1 and in a set up condition in FIGURE 2. The envelope 10 includes a firont sheet or panel 12 and a rear sheet or panel 14. The front and rear sheets are preferably hingedly connected by a fold line, as shown at 16. Side panels 18 and 20 are provided and can be secured along the side edges 22 and 24, respectively, of the front sheet 12, as shown on the rear sheet. Each of these side panels is provided with suitable adhesive or gluing means 26 for adhering to the face of the rear sheet 14, as shown when folded along line '16.

It is to be understood that the envelope, according to FIGURE 2, could easily be formed from a blank having a somewhat dilferent arrangement, which would be obvious to one skilled in the art of envelope making. For instance, the rear sheet 14, along side edges 28 or 30, could be hingedly attached to the front sheet '12 at either of its side edges 22 or 24.

One of the important aspects of the present invention is the abutment panel 32, which is hingedly connected for one way pivotal movement by a score or hinge line 34. The score line 34 permits the abutment panel 32 to pivot only in the direction away from the front sheet '12, or in other words solely above the plane of the rear sheet. The score line is made on the under side of the rear panel 14, in the view of FIGURE 1. Thus, the abutment panel in normal position will raise slightly at an angle from firont sheet 12 when in an assembled condition. The depth of the abutment panel 32, as measured in a direction towards the bottom of the envelope when ina set up condition, or as shown in FIGURE 1 in a direction towards fold line 16, must be at least of an inch, and generally need not be more than /2 an inch. The preferable depth is approximately 4; of an inch.

Secured to the abutment panel by a score line 35, similar to 34, is an end panel 36, which pivots in a manner similar to abutment panel 32, and thus generally will be folded back towards the rear sheet to a somewhat greater degree than the abutment panel 32.

FIGURE 3 shows the usual at rest position of the envelope as one in which the abutment panel 32 makes an acute angle with the front sheet 12, indicated by the angle a in FIGURE 3. According to an important aspect of the present invention, the score lines 34 and 35 form a stabilizing or stiffening means along with the abutment panel which tend to prevent the distortion of the throat by the finger F of the loading machine (not shown), that is, the abutment panel and score lines 34 and 35 tend to resist the peaking of the rear sheet such as would unnecessarily pull in the sides of the envelope and thereby re duce the width of the throat.

The front panel 12 is provided with a closure panel 38 by means of a score line 40 impressed in the side of the front sheet 12, shown in FIGURE 1. The closure panel 38 may be connected to the front panel 12 by a single score line, as shown at 46, or a double score line spaced apart the same distance as the score lines 34 and 35. The reason for the double score line is that the scoring may take place when the rear panel 14 is superimposed over the front panel 12. In this manner all the scoring necessary at the throat of the envelope may be accomplished at one time.

In FIGURE there is shown a closure means in the form of a staple 42 which has been rfound to be preferable in that it will impale the closure panel 38, the end panel 36, as well as the front and rear panels '12 and 14, respectively. It can be seen from FIGURE 5 that the depth of the end panel 36, in addition to'the depth of the abutment panel 32, is less than the depth of the closure panel '33, primarily for the reason that the end of the closure panel 33 at 44 provides a lifting tab means which readily permits the opening of the envelope after the envelope has been closed as by staples 42. The end panel 36 should be at least inch in depth, but the sum of the depth of the end panel and abutment panel must the less than the depth of the closure panel 38 by approximately V2 inch.

The envelope as used is clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, wherein a finger F of the conventional loading machine is shown moving towards the throat of the envelope and in contact with the face of the closure panel 38. Upon contact of the finger F with the abutment panel 32, the rear sheet 14 will be cammed upwardly to permit entrance of the finger F into the envelope. The finger, because of this abutment panel, cannot slide over the rear sheet 14, nor can it crush or disfigure the rear sheet.

At this time one of the significant aspects of the present invention, namely, the score lines 34 and 35 in combination with the abutment panel 32, provide a stifiening means which will not permit the rear sheet to bow or peak upwardly nor permit the sides of the envelope to converge unnecessarily to unduly reduce the width of the throat. Thus, the rear sheet 14 at the throat opening of the envelope will provide a substantially fiat or level profile, thereby permitting the insertion of a number of circulars or pamphlets of advertising media M of approximately the same or only slightly less width compared to the throat opening. Without the score lines 34 and 35 and abutment panel 32, the rear sheet 14 would bow upwardlyin a peak, which would greatly limit the opening of the throat along the side edges adjacent lines 22 and 24.

Thus, the abutment panel and the score lines serve the dual purpose of camrning the rear sheet 14 upwardly, as well as maintaining the throat opening relatively flat and elongated.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations, and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

An envelope comprising a front panel and a rear panel, said panels being mutually attached to form closed edges and a throat, an abutment panel extending substantially the length of the throat and being hingedly connected to said rear panel for pivotal movement of said abutment panel solely above the plane of the rear panel, an end panel of greater depth than said abutment panel hingedly connected to said abutment panel remote from said rear panel, a cover panel hingedly connected to said front panel and extending the length of said throat, said cover panel having a depth greater than the sum of the depths of the abutment panel and the end panel, whereby the fingers of a loading machine in moving contact with said rear panel toward the throat will release said abutment and end panels for upward pivotal movement to position said abutment panel to insure opening the throat upon movement of the fingers toward said rear panel.

2. The envelope of claim 1 wherein the cover panel includes a hinge line between and parallel to the hinge line formed between the front panel and the cover panel, said hinge line forming a panel on the side of said cover panel hinge line adjacent said front panel of substantially the same size as the abutment panel.

3. The envelope according to claim 1 wherein the abutment panel makes an acute angle with said closure panel.

4. The envelope according to claim 1 wherein staple securing means impale the closure panel over the end panel and the front and rear panels.

5. An envelope comprising a front panel and a rear panel, said panels being mutually attached to form closed edges and a throat, an abutment panel of at least oneeighth 4;) inch depth extending substantially the length 'of'the throat and being hingedly connected to said rear panel for pivotal movement of said abutment panel solely above the plane of the rear panel, an end panel of greater depth than said abutment panel hingedly connected to said abutment panel remote from said rear panel for pivotal movement of said end panel solely above the plane of said rear panel, a cover panel hingedly connected to said front panel and extending the length of said throat, said cover panel having a depth greater than the sum of the depths of the abutment panel and the end panel, whereby the fingers of a loading machine in moving contact with said rear panel toward the throat will release said abutment and end panels for upward pivotal movement to position said abutment panel to insure opening the throat -upon movement of the fingers toward said rear panel.

6. An envelope comprising a front panel and a rear panel, said panels being mutually attached to form closed edges and a throat, an abutment panel of at least oneeighth A2) inch depth extending substantially the length of the throat and being hingedly connected to said rear panel for pivotal movement of said abutment panel solely above the plane of the rear panel, an end panel having a three-quarter 4) inch minimum depth, hingedly connected to said abutment panel remote from said rear panel for pivotal movement of said end panel solely above the plane of said rear panel, a cover panel hingedly connected to said front panel and extending the length of said throat, said cover panel having a depth greater than the sum of the depths of the abutment panel and the end panel, whereby the fingers of a loading machine in moving contact with said rear panel toward the throat will release said abutment and end panels for upward pivotal movement to position said abutment panel to insure opening the throat upon movement of the fingers toward said rear panel.

7. An envelope comprising a front panel and a rear panel, said panels being mutually attached to form closed edges and a throat, an abutment panel of at least oneeighth /3) inch depth extending substantially the length of the throat and being hingedly connected to said rear panel for pivotal movement of said abutment panel solely above the plane of the rear panel, an end panel having a three-quarter 4) inch minimum depth, hingedly connected to said abutment panel remote from said rear panel for pivotal movement of said end panel solely above the plane of said rear panel, a cover panel hinged-1y connected to said front panel and extending the length of said throat, said cover panel having a depth greater than the sum of the depths of the abutment panel and the end panel, being at least one and one-half (1 /2) inches in depth, whereby the fingers of a loading machine in moving contact with said rear panel toward the throat will release said abutment and end panels for upward pivotal movement to position said abutment panel to insure opening the throat upon movement of the fingers toward said rear panel.

8. An envelope blank having a front sheet and a rear sheet hingedly connected at a first edge, side cover flaps on one of said sheets which flaps are adapted to be secured to the other sheet, a closure panel hingedly connected to a second edge of said front sheet, an abutment panel hingedly connected by an inwardly directed first score line to said rear sheet along a third edge of said rear sheet remote from said front sheet, an end panel hingedly connected by a second score line inwardly directed similar to said first score line to said abutment panel along a fourth edge parallel to said third edge, said end panel having a depth substantially greater than the depth of said abutment panel, and said closure panel having a depth substantially greater than the sum of the depths of the end and abutment panels.

9. An envelope comprising a front panel and a rear panel, said panels being mutually attached to form closed edges and a throat, an abutment panel extending substantially the length of the throat, a first hinge line pivotally connecting said abutment panel to said rear panel for movement of said abutment panel solely above the plane of said rear panel, an end panel of greater depth than said abutment panel, a second hing-e line pivotally connecting said end panel to said abutment panel for movement of said end panel solely above the plane of said rear panel, a cover panel hingedly connected to said front panel and extending the length of said throat, said cover panel having a depth greater than the sum of the depths of the abutment panel and the end panel, whereby the fingers of a loading machine in moving contact with said rear panel toward the throat will release said abutment and end panels for upward pivotal movement to position said abutment panel to insure opening the throat upon movement of the fingers toward said rear panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,052 Spear July 29, 1890 FOREIGN PATENTS 401,946 France Aug. 17, 1909 

1. AN ENVELOPE COMPRISING A FRONT PANEL AND A REAR PANEL, SAID PANELS BEING MUTUALLY ATTACHED TO FORM CLOSED EDGES AND A THROAT, AN ABUTMENT PANEL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF THE THROAT AND BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID REAR PANEL FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ABUTMENT PANEL SOLELY ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE REAR PANEL, AN END PANEL OF GREATER DEPTH THAN SAID ABUTMENT PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID ABUTMENT PANEL REMOTE FROM SAID REAR PANEL, A COVER PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID FRONT PANEL AND EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF SAID THROAT, SAID COVER PANEL HAVING A DEPTH GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE DEPTHS OF THE ABUTMENT PANEL AND THE END PANEL, WHEREBY THE FINGERS OF A LOADING MACHINE IN MOVING CONTACT WITH SAID REAR PANEL TOWARD THE THROAT WILL RELEASE SAID ABUTMENT AND END PANELS FOR UPWARD PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO POSITION SAID ABUTMENT PANEL TO INSURE OPENING THE THROAT UPON MOVEMENT OF THE FINGERS TOWARD SAID REAR PANEL. 